Talk:Pesto

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Perhaps we can add some caution about not mixing too much in with the pasta. I once used fresh basil from our garden and made a big batch. I put way too much in with my spaghetti noodles and had the worst case of the runs afterwards. It must be treated somewhat differently than bolognese or alfredo cream sauce, in this way. dave 23:04, 6 Nov 2003 (UTC)

Haha it's true, I'm a pesto fiend and have learned through hard knocks my spot on limit for the stuff! With me, I'm rather certain it's the basil and not the olive oil, by the bye. Gwen Gale 23:28, 14 February 2007 (UTC)
It probibly wasn't the basil but the olive oil, and yeah, it's happened to me before too. Perhaps a warning is a good ideaGentgeen
Really...the olive oil, eh? Thanks. Would it be because of too much olive oil or because it was old? I sometimes had olive oil in the house that is paste the date. BTW, I am definitely not alergic to olive oil I have it all the time. dave
The only reason I thought of a warning was that I am working on the spice pages, and I always think about whether any warning is required for any spices, for whatever reason, spicy, too bitter, too strong, can cause heartburn, etc... dave 06:18, 7 Nov 2003 (UTC)
One more thing, there is nothing here about what to do with it. For the most common use of pesto (mixing with with noodles) some instruction should be given at the end of the recipe, like "toss with pasta", but a quantity should be given (ex. 1 Tbsp for every X cup of cooked pasta?). You probably know more on the subject so I'll let you do it. And you can throw in a warning there to go easy (also because fresh basil can be expensive). dave 06:21, 7 Nov 2003 (UTC)

I didn't want to interfere, as a kitchen amateur, but isn't pesto traditionally a Genoese specialty (pesto alla Genovese)? maybe a mention that pesto is a way to preserve the glut of basil at the end of the season? Isn't the incorporation of cheese right into the sauce a modern innovation? What about the American substitution of walnuts for pignoli nuts? even some walnut oil with the olive oil? and finally how about mentioning that a film of olive oil keeps the pesto from oxidizing to black? User:Wetman

OK, got some of that in the article. Just for refrence, I'm a biochemist, not a cook, so feel free to change what ever needs changing.Gentgeen 12:35, 9 Nov 2003 (UTC)

I flipped quickly through the Project Gutenberg edition of the Bucolics, and found this reference:

Pounds Thestilis her mess of savoury herbs,
 Wild thyme and garlic.

 Ecologue 2: Lines 12-13

The latin version of the same reference:

Thestylis et rapido fessis messoribus aestu
 alia serpyllumque herbas contundit olentis

 Ecologue 2: Lines 10-11

This seems like a fair description of modern pesto, but doesn't seem to match the description of ancient pesto in the article (primarily olive oil and cheese).

Speaking only as someone who likes to cook and not as someone knowledgeable in the history of cooking, it seems to me that the distinguishing characteristic of pesto is the use of the mortar and pestle to crush the herbs. An oil and cheese sauce wouldn't benefit from from being crushed. Perhaps our modern pesto derives from two different sauces - the crushed herbs (my dictionary gives crushes and grinds as other meanings for contundit) mentioned in the Bucolics and the oil and cheese mentioned in the article.

I removed the reference to Virgil, since I do not find the quotation from the Bucolics convincing. It refers to some kind of sauce, but not what we call pesto today. Burschik 15:32, 2 Aug 2004 (UTC)

A quick note from a genoese native: to get a decent pesto, you can use Grana Padano instead of Parmigiano Reggiano without losing too much of the original flavour. However, the Prà basil is very important since, AFAIK, is the only basil that doesn' t even remotely taste like peppermint. If your basil has large leaves, and has even just a hint of peppermint, then your pesto won' t taste like the reasl thing. Oh, and BTW... garlic, salt, pine nuts, olive oil, and Parmigiano Reggiano are all important ingredients of Pesto, but I didn' t see any entry about Pecorine cheese. Some just use a hint of it, some are pretty heavy on it, but it' s (not always, but very often) part of the recipe.

Contents

[edit] Name

I believe that the word means "ground" in Italian, similar to the English word Pestle (as in mortar and pestle). Should this be added into the article?ABart26 05:55, 25 July 2006 (UTC)

Nope, sorry, but it means "to crush". Iolakana•T 20:36, 28 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] PDO status

I cannot find any indication of PDO status for pesto alla genovese on the EU site: either granted or applied for.

  • Italian PDO and PGI products are listed here
  • A PDF of current applications can be downloaded here

(These is, however, protection for Basilico Genovese[1].)

—Ian Spackman 09:39, 26 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Pine nuts picture

the picture of the pine nuts is not the correct one, since represents Chinese nuts that are not used (or should not) for pesto making since that have very little taste. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 192.33.238.6 (talk) 13:22, 25 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Still about pine nuts

they are never roasted, they are far too delicate for it. --192.33.238.6 13:27, 25 October 2007 (UTC)